Liquid delivery apparatus



F. S MITH 2,4,3?

LIQUID DELIVERY APBARATUS Filed Nov. 3, 1942 Patented Aug. 6, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID nnLifr rt ii ArrAuA'rus Application November 3, 1942,Serial No. 464,375

. In Great Britain November 25, 1941 According to the present invention it is proposed to provide liquid delivery apparatus with a nozzle having a predetermined size of bore, and to associate therewith means for more or less constricting said bore and' for admitting air to the centre of the passing streamof liquid, in such a manner that (between certain limits) any reduction in the volume of liquid passing to the outlet nozzle is compensated or balanced by a corresponding increase inthe-volume of admitted air, whereby the liquid is aerated and caused to completely fill the bore of the nozzle from which it issues in a perfect jet at the desired velocity, irrespective of the quantity of passing liquid. Means may be associated with the apparatus for ensuring that the liquid issues from the nozzle either in the form 'of a jet or of a spray. Thejet or the spray issues from the same outlet and thesame volume of liquid may be passed through said outlet either in jet form or spray form in the same period of time. The means for controlling the spray ma cause the latter to have either a clockwise spin or a counter-clockwise spin, Said means comprises a stationary or integral plug having orifices therein for the passage of liquid, and a revoluble rotor or the like provided with a straight bore or bores and with a co-acting helically or angularly arranged bore or bores, means being also provided for manipulating said rotor in order that the several bores thereof may beprogressively brought into more or less register with the orificesof the plug. or a stationary plug provided with orifices may co-act with a revoluble'rotor having therein a pair or pairs of angularly arranged bores, in such a manner that upon the rotor being manipulated for one or other of the pair or pairs of'bores to more or less register with the orifices of the plug, a correspondingly spinning spray may be'produced from the outlet; or the said rotor may be manipulated in such' a manner that the land between the bores lies approximately midway across the orifices of the plug to produce a jet of liquid at the outlet of the apparatus.

Alternatively, a single bore in the body or like of the apparatus may co-act with a revoluble rotor having a straight bore and one or more helically or angularly arranged bores therein, whereby upon the rotor being rotated, one or other of the bores therein may be brought into more or less register with the single bore aforesaid for producing a jet, spray or sprays.

The apparatus is provided with means for coupling the same to any appropriate liquid supply,

2 Claims. (01. 261-116) I having therein a diametrically arranged bore and other features of the invention will be elucidated as the present description proceeds.

The invention willnow be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a liquid delivery apparatus constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the device illustrated in Figure 1-.

Figure 3 is a sectional end view on the line III-,- III of Figure-2, and Figure l is an end View taken.

along the-line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a, sectional plan on the line V-V of Figure 4, and Figure 6 is a-similar View of Figure. 4 of a modification of the invention.

In the apparatus depicted in Figures 1 to-5 of the drawing, I is the main body of the liquid delivery apparatus of hollow cylindrical formation, providedwith an internally screw-threaded bore 2 for coupling to, a hose-pipe or other source of li'quid'supply', andwith a further internally screw-threaded bore 3 in which is adapted to screw an outlet nozzle 4 provided with a borehaving a flared inner end 5. 6 is a lock-nut.

Within the body-I is. secured a cylindrical plug 8 and a centrally arranged projection 9 provided with a concentric bore [Band frusto-conical exterior II. Bores III and 8 communicate with each other and the latter registers with orifice I 2 in the walls of body I.

I5. Preferably equidistantly located on each side' of each bore I5 are inclined bores I6 and II, the outlet end of each of which registers with the aforesaid bore I5. v

- I8 is a slot in body I through which passes a stud I9 screwing into rotor I l and provided with a knob 20 and locking means 2|, whereby rotor I4 may be manipulated so as to partially rotate within the body I of the apparatus. 22 is a ball catch or the like for determining the amount of movement of said rotor,- and 23 is an annular ring for covering slot I8 and preventing leakage of liquid.

In operation, and when it is desired to cause a jet of liquid to issue from the outlet nozzle 4,

V rotor I4 is rotated until orifices I5 therein regisaround the exterior of projection II to flared portion 5 of nozzle 4, and away to the outlet of the latter.

Should it be desired to convert the jet into a spray, rotor M may be rotated until the inlet ends of bores l6 thereof register with orifices IS in plug I, whereupon the liquid is given a turning or spinning movement in a clockwise direction and issues from orifices [5 in rotor 14 and consequently from nozzle 4 in the form of a clockwise-spinning spray. may be moved in the opposite direction to bring the inlet ends of bores l'l into register with orifices l3 aforesaid, whereupon the liquid issuing from nozzle 4 is given a counter-clockwise spinof liquid passes through the nozzle in spray form Alternatively, the rotor of portion 9, in which case the water supply to the outlet is completely shut oil.

It has been found in. practice that it is best to employ a nozzle 4 with a bore of larger diameter than would normally be used with liquid delivery apparatus, whereby advantage may be taken of a copious supply of liquid at considerable pressure. In the event, however, of the quantity or pressure of supply decreasing, from any cause, adjustment of the portions 4 and 9 relative to each other may be efiected.

It has also been found that the higher the pressure of the liquid passing through the nozzle I 4,.the. greater the ingress of air at bores 8, I0,

as will pass through it in jet form when orifices.

l5 and i3 register.

By gradually moving the rotor M from the centra1 position to either side of bores IE or H, the jet gradually changes to a spinning spray, the extent of said spray becoming gradually shorter but increasingly wide.

Simultaneously with the passage of liquid around the projection 9 to the outlet of the nozzle, a flow of air is induced through orifices l2, 8 and I0, which mingles with the liquid at the outlet of II and aerates said liquid in such a manner a to always maintain the .bore of the nozzle 4 full of a mixture. of liquid and, air and C011? sequently insures a perfect flow from said nozzle.

Ina modification of the invention,"a rotor of the type illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawing may be substituted for the one shown in Figures 4 and 5, which embodies two pairs of angularly arranged bores 25, 26. In these circumstances when it is desired to obtain a jet, rotor I4 is adjusted until the land 21 between each pair of bores 25, 26, lies centrally across the bores i3 of plug 1, whereupon the liquid passing from inlet 2 is equally divided bysaid lands and issues in the desired jet from the end of nozzle 4. Movement of the rotor in one direction or the other shuts off water from either bores 25 orbore of nozzle 4 may be regulated or adjusted backwards and forwards relative to the projection 9 of the air supply means, which has the effect of reducing said bore or of enlarging the same. until the said flared end seats itself upon the end If desired, nozzle 4 may be screwed down- I2, and that the mixture of air and water keeps 'Iilled the bore of said nozzle, consequently producing a perfect jet of liquid at all pressures.

Should it be desired to temporarily reduce the length of the jet or spray or to increase the volume of liquid issuing from the apparatus, this may be achieved by an operative placing his fingers over the orifices l2 or 8, as the case maybe, so as to exclude the ingress of air.

When using the spray apparatus it may be found preferable to use either the clockwisespinning spray or the counter-clockwise spining spray, according to the direction of the wind, a feature of considerable advantage in fire-fighting or water cooling.

In the event of the apparatus being used for hydropathic treatment, a powerful massage effeet is obtained both with the jet of aerated water and with the spinning sprays.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A liquid delivery apparatus comprising a' tubular body adapted to be connected to a source of liquid supply, an outlet nozzle connected to one end of said body, a stationary member in liquid passages therein, said air passage termimating in a centrally disposed discharge passage and a rotor having a straight opening and com municating side openings, and means for operating the rotor for selectively moving said openings into registration with the liquid supply passages so as to control the flow of the liquidfrom said body, said member having air passages and 

